“Never Laugh At Live Dragons.”

If this seems like a drastic step, you don’t really know me that well.

Earlier this week, I spoke about having been docked my contractually appropriate and acceptable days that I took off, in order to…you know…deal with my father’s lung cancer. Just a little thing, right? Obviously, I was understandably angry about this. I went to the trouble of keeping my cool, but delivering a few Sternly Worded Speeches, as well as some Sternly Worded Letters, along with Appropriate Papers. The grim Dragon of Discriminatory Policy may have been alluded to, and cast its dark shadow over the Edu-Mountain.

Readers may remember that I suggested the immediate invention of a Time Machine, so that the problem could be resolved by yesterday. After simmering down a bit, I decided that Ricardo Montalban’s offer of extra time in “Wrath of Khan” was indeed generous, so I gave a deadline of today (Friday) for an “off cycle” check to be cut.

There was a bunch of jibber jabba, and other mouth noises that Mr. T would have found unilaterally unacceptable. Unlike Mr. T., I did not invent pity, nor stockpile patience, so I once more alluded to the Grim Dragon of Dicriminatory Policy, and the all important Consequences. These references were necessarily vague and undisclosed, so as to make them far, far more unsettling. Just like dealing with students, really. The jibber jabba suggested that I wouldn’t see the money that I was entitled to for another month, which did not sit well with me in the least.

Again, the deadline was today.

After considering their actions, and my position in the situation, as well as the looming shadow of the Grim Dragon, a decision was reached.

I was actually paid yesterday, directly into my account, the money I was owed. Almost in spite of the various protests that it couldn’t be done.

I’m pretty satisfied that the right decision was made, and that it didn’t need to Go Further. That said…it shouldn’t have happened in the first place, and was highly, highly demotivating.

Clearly, Cap actually riding the Grim Dragon over the Edu-Mountain while ranting inappropriately is a pretty direct, “on the nose” metaphor for the events. At least this little subplot is now put to bed.